Gas Guzzler!
by Reduviidae
Summary: When on vacation from the band, Crash runs into an old friend in a familiar gas station! Stuck for the night, he and his friend bond, but soon realize something weird's afoot! What's with all the missing gas? And all the giant, abandoned trucks?
1. Chapter 1

Somewhere... On a desert road...

Vacation was a strange thing for The Aquabats. They never shed their costumes (And why would they? They WERE their costumes!), but every so often between shows and fighting giant monsters, they'd need a break. Not from each other, necessarily, but five guys crammed in one tram could brew up a heck of a cabin fever.

Crash drums his thick fingers on the steering wheel of his little van. It somewhat resembled the battletram- Maybe if it had gone through, say, a compactor and had been severely beaten up. But Crash liked it- /Her/- Just the way it was. He fiddles with the dials, settling on a keening country singer, thinking about what his friends were doing.

Eaglebones had gone off on some kind of spiritual quest. Crash wasn't sure what that was about. He never really understood all that spiritual stuff. But Bones had his quirks, and Crash wasn't about to get in the way of them.

Ricky had gone off to sell energy bars. Crash had gotten a sample pack from him. The drummer had told him it'd help him 'Bulk up'. It had crumbled dryly in his mouth, and on top of that, tasted kind of like bitter apples. Crash's lip curls, recalling the taste, tongue dragging around his mouth warily. Yup. Still little bits in there. He needed to eat something to get that taste out.

Commander and Jimmy had the tram. Jimmy couldn't really spend too far away from it, 'cause of his charger. Commander just didn't like being away from the tram too long- Especially after the Cobraman incident. Crash had caught him cooing to the Battletram's dashboard on quiet nights, promising that he'd never let the tram get stolen again. Crash sighs through his nose, gently patting his own dashboard. He could understand that.

Outside, the desert road is empty, the sky is dark, an occasional cactus dotting the landscape. Crash turns his gaze toward it, eyes moving slowly from the cactuses, to the moon. The weird mutant cactus had gotten fixed. But he guessed Ronmark was in space right now. Was he having cool space adventures? Jimmy said something about 'suffocating in the vacuum', but Crash didn't really get what he was saying. He was sure Jimmy jut liked to say big words to sound smart, really.

His attention snaps back to his car at the sound of a chiming alert. "Oh man!" The gas! He forgot to refill! Crash bites his lip, eyeing the horizon, slamming on the gas pedal. Faster, car! Maybe there'd be a gas station nearby!

About thirty minutes later, a groaning Crash stands outside his car. This wasn't fair! "This isn't fair!" And it was dumb, "And, this is dumb!" Well put, he thinks for a split second, huffing and slamming a fist on the hood of the car (Leaving a small dent). He bites his lip, vision blurring as his eyes water up. He /hated/ vacation! He missed his friends! He missed the tram! Every time he drove something, something bad happened. He felt like a big idiot baby. The ground shrinks as Crash dwells on his, a shaky hiccup echoing across the empty desert.

It's a long moment before he realizes (Partially thanks to a quiet 'crunch' from the windshield) that his fist is now just about the size of the car. Oh, and that he's gigantic. Shaking himself gently, he scoops up his car, looking around.

Well. There wasn't any gas stations where he came from. And there weren't any out in the desert sands. Probably. He looks off towards where he was headed, squinting. Were those lights in the distance? Footsteps rumbling, he treks toward the lights.

By the time he's approaching the station enough to ead the sign, he's at half height. "Sunny Places?" He reads out loud, cocking his head and furrowing his brow. His memory was kinda fuzzy but... Hey, isn't this where they fought The Floating Eye of Death? He shrinks further, yelping when he drops the car with a 'THUD', the device thankfully landing on its wheels. Struggling, he pushes the car into the lot, peering into the station. Large, empty trucks are parked in the lot.

Oh, hey. That girl was there. What was her name? Tifa? Tiny? Terri? He hums, pushing the van by a pump. She sure was nice. Whatever her name was. Crash tries the pump, digging for his wallet in his black shorts.

A small screen on the pump flashes 'EMPTY'. Crash blinks. Empty? "Yeah, uh, my van is empty." He presses the 'fuel' button. 'EMPTY' flashes again. His mouth twinges a little. That wasn't right. Could gas stations just... Not have gas? That'd be stupid. Like if a pizza place didn't have pizza. His stomach growls. Oh, man, he could eat. But first, this gas thing.

The cold air chilling him, given lycra wasn't exactly great for storing heat, Crash walks quietly across the parking lot. Warm air fogs around his mouth. He pushes open the door to the gas station, and it chimes quietly. As the girl looks up to him, the name strikes him, and no sooner is it in his mind that it's flying out of his mouth. It's warm, popping out of his mouth, utterly pleased with himself for remembering.

"Tina!"


	2. Chapter 2

The bright smile that lights up her face is contagious Crash can feel himself get all squinty and smiley as he  
approaches, "Well, Commanderbones!" His smile drops some. Well. There goes that.

"Actually uh." He sheepishly rubs his neck, clearing his throat, "I'm Crash." He catches bright blue out of the  
corner of his eye, and subtly peers over, eyes widening with surprise when he sees himself in a framed picture! And  
not just him, the rest of the team! Right under the picture of Tina's grandpa! He blinks at it, as Tina sloooowwwwly  
tilts her head inside his view.

"Well, heya then, Crash!" She springs up, ponytail bobbing slightly, "You like that?" She jerks a thumb over to the  
picture, "I saw ya'll in the magazine and just /had/ to have it." A goopey smile settles on Crash's face.

"A..Aw, Tina, that's real nice of you..." It always felt good to see people thankful of you saving them and not,  
y'know, hurling garbage at you and cursing you out of a city. Oh, man. Speaking of getting out of the city- Crash snaps back to attention. "Hey! Uh. I think your gas-thingy is broken." Tina tilts her head and raises a brow, before realization reaches her.

"Ohhh. Right!" Her lips purse gently, wincing a little, "The, um, gas is missing!"

"Missing?" Echoes Crash, brows furrowing. "Was it a bandit?!" Tina shakes her head, "A giant bird?" Another head shake, "A dinosaur tryin' to get revenge?" Tina pauses on that, thinking.

"...Y'know, it did kinda sound like that!" She's gently gripping a broom handle, Crash notices, staring out the window with a determined look, "I'm stayin' up to find out what it was! The gas shipment comes in tomorrow mornin', and I wanna see what happens to it!" She looks back to Crash, "...Plus, I gotta. Because I don't get paid if I don't show up!" Crash nods. Made sense. He eyes the clock.

"...Aw man, ten? I can't wait, like, twenty hours! I gotta get on the road!" His eyes flicker down to the snacks sign. Nothing helped disappointment more than eating. And eating. And eating. His stomach gently growls.

"Well, I think the next gas station is thirty miles that way!" Tina says cheerfully, pointing further on down the road. Crash groans quietly, bowing his head. Figures. Stupid vacation. Stupid car. Noticing his frown, Tina tries to console him, "Can't that robot... Jamie?" Crash nods. Close enough, "Can't he make s'more fuel for your tram?"

"I don't got the tram." Huffs Crash, resting his elbows on the counter now, "Or my friends." Tina puts a hand over her heart, wide eyed.

"Did ya'll break up!?" Crash jolts at this, shaking his head no.

"N-No! Never! We're just on vacation!" Tina visibly sags with a sigh of relief, then a small laugh.

"Had me worried there for a sec, Clash!"

"Crash." He looks around the store, distracted, stomach grumbling again. He pats it with a little groan. Quiet, stomach! Tina raises an eyebrow.

"..You hungry?" Crash flinches, almost feeling guilty at that, but nods. Tina thinks. "...Welllll, don't tell my manager, but since you did sorta save my life an' everything... Even though you just got that concussion and passed out and left me to get my soul sucked by that giant eye thing... I kinda owe ya!" Surprised, Crash meets her eyes. "You can have free snacks!" The smile that spreads on Crash's face absolutely glows. Tina's taken aback by it, smile softening, watching him just about tackle the snacks stand.

Outside, trucks creak quietly in the still air. The stars shine clearly.


End file.
